1 Populations are U.S. Census Bureau provisional estimates as of July 1, 2010, and July 1, 2009.

2 Because of changes in the state's reporting practices, figures are not comparable to previous years' data.

3 The data collection methodology for the offense of forcible rape used by the Minnesota state Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program (with the exception of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota) does not comply with national UCR Program guidelines. Consequently, its figures for forcible rape and violent crime (of which forcible rape is a part) are not published in this table.

4 Includes offenses reported by the Zoological Police and the Metro Transit Police.

* Less than one-tenth of 1 percent.

NOTE: Although arson data are included in the trend and clearance tables, sufficient data are not available to estimate totals for this offense. Therefore, no arson data are published in this table.

Overview

Crime in the United States, by Region, Geographic Division, and State, 2009–2010

In 2010, the estimated number of violent crimes in the United States decreased 6.0 percent when compared with 2009 data.

In comparing the 2-year estimates, violent crimes decreased in all four regions, with the largest decrease (7.9 percent) occurring in the South, followed by declines of 6.5 percent in the Midwest, 5.6 percent in the West, and 0.6 percent in the Northeast.

The estimated number of murders increased 8.8 percent in the Northeast, but declined in the other three regions: 7.6 percent in the West, 6.4 in the South, and 4.9 in the Midwest.

The South recorded the largest decrease in forcible rape, 6.4 percent.

The estimated number of robbery offenses declined in all four regions. The largest decreased, 13.0 percent, was in the South.

Estimated aggravated assault offenses rose 0.3 percent in the Northeast, the only region to see an increase. Aggravated assault offenses declined 5.8 percent in the South, 4.3 percent in the Midwest, and 3.6 percent in the West.

For 2010, the estimated number of property crimes nationwide decreased 2.7 percent when compared with the 2009 estimate.

All four of the Nation’s regions had decreases in the estimated number of property crimes, with declines of 3.8 percent in the South, 2.3 percent in both the Midwest and West, and 0.3 percent in the Northeast.

The estimated number of burglaries decreased in three regions. However, in the Northeast, the number of estimated offenses increased 4.0 percent. The largest decline, 4.0 percent, occurred in the South.

Larceny-thefts declined in all four regions. The largest decrease, 3.1 percent, occurred in the South.

When compared with the 2009 estimates, the estimated number of motor vehicle thefts in 2010 declined in all four regions of the United States. The largest decline, 9.6 percent, occurred in the South.